Photo by Gints Ivuskans, Deposit Photos
There has been increasing talk lately on whether or not Donald Trump’s name could potentially be removed from some state ballots using the 14th amendment, if he were to receive the Republican nomination for 2024.
Arizona’s Democrat Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said on Wednesday that he does not have the ability to remove former President Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot in the Grand Canyon State.
Due to a previous ruling from the Arizona Supreme Court, Trump cannot be barred from running in the state, Fontes claimed. Fontes referred to a ruling last year that determined the disqualification clause of the Constitution can only be enforced through Congress.
The ruling came after an effort to block Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), and secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem from being placed on the 2022 ballot over their roles in the January 6 Capitol riot.
“Now, the Arizona Supreme Court said that because there’s no statutory process in federal law to enforce Section 3 of the 14th amendment, you can’t enforce it,” Fontes said on “The Gaggle” podcast by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com.
Fontes said that he will follow state law, even though he doesn’t agree with the law and believes that Arizona should be allowed to remove a Presidential candidate using the 14th amendment.
“What I’m saying is I’m going to follow the law,” he stated. “And the law in Arizona is what the law in Arizona is. Whether I like it or not, is irrelevant.”
